De-Risking Operations Lead in Bristol

Location: Bristol

Grade: Senior Consultant

Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time Hybrid

About XPS Group: XPS Pensions Group is no ordinary company. We've earned numerous awards and accolades, making us an industry leader in Pensions Consultancy. As the largest pure pensions consultancy in the UK, we are a team of approximately 2000 employees spread across 15 locations nationwide. Listed on the London Stock Exchange Main Market, we pride ourselves on our ability to think and act differently, offering expert advice to over 1600 pension schemes and administering pensions for over 1,000,000 members.

About the Team: The De-risking team forms part of the Administration Projects Team and undertakes a range of specialist project activities to support pension scheme de-risking, buy-in and buy-out workstreams. The team works closely with client teams, calculation specialists, data specialists, administrators, consultants and wider XPS stakeholders to deliver high-quality outputs for complex pension projects. The team's work includes preparation and review of bulk insurer data sets, benefit audits, benefit rectification activity, data cleanse work, query resolution and support for wider bulk annuity transaction activity. As demand for de-risking services continues to grow, this role will provide operational leadership, escalation support and process oversight to help ensure consistent, collaborative and efficient delivery across the function.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the operational escalation point for complex de-risking queries, delivery issues and workstream challenges, ensuring matters are triaged, progressed and resolved effectively.
• Work closely with the De-risking Operations Manager and De-risking Management Team to support the smooth running of de-risking operations.
• Provide line management, coaching and support to the De-risking Team Managers, helping them to manage performance, workloads, priorities and colleague development.
• Support consistent working practices across the de-risking teams, ensuring that processes are understood, followed and continuously improved.
• Review existing processes, controls and ways of working to identify inefficiencies, risks, duplication or gaps, and lead activity to improve them.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across XPS, including client teams, administration teams, project teams, calculation teams, data specialists and consulting colleagues, to resolve issues and improve end-to-end delivery.
• Support effective collaboration across buy-in and buy-out workstreams, ensuring all parties understand their responsibilities, dependencies, deadlines and escalation routes.
• Facilitate joined-up communication between de-risking teams and wider stakeholders to reduce avoidable rework, late-stage issues and unclear ownership.
• Provide operational insight to support planning, resourcing, prioritisation and management reporting across de-risking activity.
• Help identify recurring issues, themes and root causes, and ensure lessons learned are captured and used to improve future delivery.
• Ensure budgets, income expectations and commercial considerations are factored into operational planning, prioritisation and delivery decisions, helping to balance quality, efficiency and financial performance.
• Support the creation, maintenance and adoption of process documentation, guidance notes, training material and standardised ways of working.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, quality and continuous improvement across the de-risking function.
• Act as a role model for XPS values, supporting inclusive working practices and helping colleagues to perform at their best.
• Undertake other activities of a similar nature that fall within the role holder's capabilities, reflecting the evolving needs of the business.

Key Accountabilities:

• Escalation management: Ensuring complex queries and operational issues are resolved promptly, with clear ownership and appropriate stakeholder engagement.
• People management: Line managing De-risking Team Managers, supporting performance, development, engagement and effective workload management.
• Process improvement: Reviewing current processes and leading improvement activity to enhance efficiency, quality, consistency and control.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Working with colleagues across XPS to improve communication, handoffs, planning and resolution of cross-team issues.
• Buy-in workstream coordination: Supporting collaborative working across all parties involved in buy-in activity, helping to ensure aligned delivery and reduced operational friction.
• Commercial awareness: Ensuring budgets, income and financial implications are considered when planning, prioritising and delivering de-risking work.
• Quality and risk management: Identifying risks, recurring issues and areas of non-compliance with agreed processes, and supporting actions to address them.

Due to the changing nature of the business, the job holder may from time to time be required to undertake other activities of a similar nature that fall within their capabilities.

Your Profile:

Essential:

• Strong experience within pensions administration, administration projects or a related pensions operational environment.
• Good understanding of defined benefit pension schemes and the operational requirements involved in de-risking, buy-in or bulk annuity project activity.
• Proven ability to manage complex queries, issues and escalations through to resolution.
• Experience of working with multiple stakeholders across different teams, functions or business areas.
• Strong people management skills, with the ability to coach, support and develop team managers or colleagues.
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and influence positive outcomes.
• Ability to review processes, identify improvement opportunities and implement practical changes.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a proactive and collaborative approach.
• High attention to detail and a strong commitment to quality, accuracy and risk management.
• Confident using Microsoft Office applications and project or workflow management tools.
• Commitment to acting in line with XPS values and supporting an inclusive, collaborative working environment.

What We Offer:

• Enjoy a competitive salary, annual discretionary bonus, and 25 days' holiday with buy/sell flexibility.
• Benefits include pension matching, healthcare plans, life assurance, and retailer discounts.
• We support our team with a flexible benefits scheme, employee assistance, and digital GP service.
• Participating in volunteering events is encouraged with paid volunteer days available.
• Referral bonuses are offered for introducing suitable candidates to XPS.

Equal Opportunity Statement: XPS Group is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all candidates, irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or belief. As a Disability Confident employer, we ensure accessible and supportive work settings for all employees.

Eligibility: Any employment offer made will be conditional upon you satisfying DBS Disclosure checks, Employment or educational references, Satisfactory credit checks and eligibility to work in the UK before an offer can be made. XPS Group is not able to provide sponsorship to employees.